My project is a little different from most, who are doing a restoration on a cosworth. My car started out life as a Sierra Sapphire 1.8 CVH GLX, progressed to a 2.0 GLX with a 8v DOHC fitted, and the plans now are to push forward and get it to my ideal spec - Sapphire GLX Cosworth

Heres how i bought her 4 years ago, at 91,109 miles old she had a CVH, a bottom end rebuild at 50k and all history to proove it. I drover her in this basic specification, Passing my driving test in this car with the CVH, no Power Steering or ABS Brakes.







Then a twincam went in - and came out and we have this

After this another 3 twincams went in until we got to this


These are a lot of the history pictures I have found, I will update as the project moves onwards,
































That brings her to now - the plan is as follows:

Full restoration underneav to the best of my abilities with a wire brush, etch prime and paint

Full respray, and rebuild to cosworth spec.

 

Looks good m8

 

24v it!

 

nice motor,were abouts in manchester mate

 

 

Were in Hyde Mate

 

that was the original plan - but i have another car for a 24v

plan is 3 saphs - 8v Pinto, 16v YB, 24v BOA/BOB

 

You're just greedy

 

Or i want the italian jobs in sierras

Red YB
Blue 24v
White Pinto

 

kool idea lol

 

not to far mate im in the grove

 

Cool - that is really local!

 

nice project, good luck with it

 

Stripped the front of the car down - next step is to remove the engine/gearbox and propshaft, plus all other bits and bobs from the engine bay ready for that bits clean up

 

Nice project fella.The dohc engines are spot on keep up the good work.

 

there not a bad engine - just in 2nd hand guise they dont like to readily take abuse.

I was going to put in a hybrid 2.0 16v with the scorpio head, but when i added it all up, I could get a donor cosworth, especially when i considered I would have to have a custom exhaust manifold made up to get it run (which wouldnt be particularly cheap) and give me the power ive always dreamed off (and yes i know it isnt going to be cheap anyway)

Also helps the car isnt a daily drive - my only problem is I havent got a clue when it comes to bodywork

 

hey nice, like my glx i used to have...

 

Very nice,i used to work with someone who had a glx sapphire and put a yb in,but he left the body and steel wheels standard,it was a proper sleeper!!

 

Well some more done today

and today i lifted the carpets!

was quite nervous as she had a leak a couple years back with the heater matrix and it had never seamed to dry out properly and it had to be welded in the seat mount for the last mot so was expecting the worst!










To say im happy - is an understatement - needs a new n/s seat mount and the o/s seat mount cleaning up - but that was the worst I found

 

Well - we have a engine bay which is missing a few more bits as of today! Namely brake master cylinder, valve block and the wiring for the engine bay - disconnected the prop and everything is ready for the lift - hopefully next sunday if i can get the crane round here

A pic as she stands

 

should sleeper style it

 

im a person who believes you should have the go to match the show

I love the styling of the cossie - but without a minimum of 200 bhp i dont think a car deserves to wear it!

When the opportunity came up, and the head gasket went, it was almost like it was perfect opportunity to give it the restoration I have wanted to since buying the car

now i just need to learn to weld and fit car panels

 

Good look with the restoration mate.I would love to weld and paint cars.

 

Nice one Nate, gimme a shout if you need a hand

 

Brilliant mate :th:

can you weld

Already looks a ton worse than when you saw it the other week with mads, *should* be getting the last of the twincam out of her at the weekend

 

Cant weld but gimme a hammer and i can work wonders

 

 

well, today i got to focus on the bodywork, rather than taking the engine out as planned

This was due to me taking delivery of a large stock of parts yesterday and needing some of them out of my way!

So here goes

From:

To:


From:

To:



But a bit of digging into the sill - and found this

What really bugged me - is its clear this has been spotted in the past - and had what appears to be filler shoved over the top and some anti-chip paint shoved ontol of it!

Now this gives me a big big problem, I cant weld! I dont know how to set up my welder, or how to fix the rotten bits ensuring nothing comes back! Im currently at the stage where we are saving up the cash to get it to the bodyshop for the paintwork (doors a couple of shades out, as is the bonnet, and bumpers/skirts) so i have put a post in parts wanted for cash (well its someone with a skill)

 

Nightmare mate i hope you get it sorted.

 

not as bad as some - but worse than others - absolutely gutted is the only way i can describe how i felt when the screwdriver went through the metal!

I have to fix her - she means to much to me to abandon over this! Im just annoyed that someone had hidden this like they did, as if it hadnt been hidden i would have had it fixed already - was only discovered when i had a flat tyre and had to change it for the spare and the sill collapsed on the ford jack!

Other than this - it still looked visually fine!

 

i like the colour of your car i do hope it stays this colour hope you get your welding done ok .

 

nice project mate

 

Shes Staying Red!

The welding is one thing that i havent done before - but by god im determined to get her back on the road - without a single bodge job on her!

Does anyone know of a good powder coaters in the Manchester Area? I have some bits i need to get coated ready to go on?

Rustwork is my first priority - then its paintwork and then mechanics, i just hope im a fast learner with this welding lark

 

Good luck with it

 

looks good mate iv just done the same as you i had a 1.6 pinto and changed it to a 2 liter dohc but iv still used the t9 box gives it a bit more on the bottom gears my next step is rear discs ,new suspension,under car refurb, electric windows and get my 2wd wheels done and maybe weld my diff or get a lsd keep us posted

 

And now onto some more recent pics of the Saph:



The missing bit


remember this, well here is the pics we took when a good friend of mine helped me on the sill.






and then it was covered with a repair panel, however it started raining and so we had to stop so pictures were then thin on the ground.

The start of the underside cleanup, there is now a lot more done but I wont be taking pictures of the remaining work till its all finished - then its ready for the bodyshop




Now onto the collecting of parts to get this car back together

There are 4, but I got sent 2 from the same side

 

Nice to see something a bit different, keep up the good work

 

good work lad don't give up with the welding, get some scrape metal and start learning, as long as it's strong don't matter what it looks like.

u still after the fuel pump holder

 

Ive managed to get one, awaiting the fuel filter from matt lewis motorsport, and may have tracked down a 044 pump as well to go in with the mix

Its my motto to build it as good as I can build it this first time, including things like the fuel pump loom fan loom and the common failures - but first I need to sort out the bodywork